Sme: Lawyer asked for bribe for Supreme Court

SUPREME Court Justice Igor Burger is reportedly involved in a corruption case concerning Košice lawyer Alexander Farkašovský. According to the prosecutor, Farkašovský told a woman being charged that in return for a bribe he would arrange for the Supreme Court to decide in her favour through Burger, his former schoolmate.

SUPREME Court Justice Igor Burger is reportedly involved in a corruption case concerning Košice lawyer Alexander Farkašovský. According to the prosecutor, Farkašovský told a woman being charged that in return for a bribe he would arrange for the Supreme Court to decide in her favour through Burger, his former schoolmate.

Burger, who is on friendly terms with Supreme Court President Štefan Harabin, however, says he has nothing to do with the bribe. According to him, the lawyer acted on his own, the Sme daily reported in its June 10 issue.

Farkašovský, former head of the Cassovia Košice basketball club, is accused of indirect corruption. Investigators say that back in 2011 he asked a woman charged with a crime for €20,000-€30,000, which he would then give to a Supreme Court justice who would decide in her favour. According to Sme, the investigation file indicates that the judge was Burger, a member of the Judicial Council and a friend of Harabin’s. Burger has been called as a witness in the case.

The prosecutor accused Farkašovský of corruption in March. The main proceeding is to be scheduled for August or September, said Specialised Criminal Court spokeswoman Katarína Kudjáková, as cited by Sme.

The Special Prosecutor’s Office declined to specify why Burger is a witness or whether he was investigated in the past, explaining that the case is still underway in court.

Burger responded that the investigation has clearly proved that he has nothing to do with the bribe.

“I was fully cooperating with the police,” Burger told Sme, adding that it has been proved that he did not decide in the case. “Any honest judge, prosecutor or police officer cannot prevent the corrupt behaviour of his or her former classmates.”

Farkašovský also confirmed that Burger has nothing to do with the case, but did not provide any further details, Sme wrote.

Earlier this week, Sme also reported about Judge Štefan Michálik, who is allegedly involved in another corruption case concerning prosecutor Michal Barila, who allegedly mediated a €30,000 bribe back in July 2010. According to the transcripts of police wiretaps, Barila was discussing with Michálik the release of a man who was in custody for fraud. Michálik said he does not know about the wiretap. He also rejected the evaluation of him and Barila by the police and the prosecutor’s office.

Source: Sme

Compiled by Radka Minarechová from press reports

The Slovak Spectator cannot vouch for the accuracy of the information presented in its Flash News postings.

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